Shining Aster

About Shining Aster

Shining Aster is a lustrous late-season beauty that thrives in the dampest corners of the native garden. This sturdy perennial typically reaches 3 to 6 feet in height, though it can occasionally grow taller in ideal conditions. It is easily identified by its smooth, shiny, lance-shaped leaves that clasp the often-reddish stems. From August to October, it is covered in white to pale blue flowers with bright yellow centers. Native to fens, wet prairies, and swamps of Eastern and Central North America, it is the perfect choice for rain gardens or low-lying areas with wet to medium soil. Shining Aster is highly attractive to many native bee species, providing them with essential late-season pollen and nectar. While it is closely related to the Purple-stemmed Aster, its smooth, hairless stems give it a more refined appearance. It spreads via rhizomes and can form impressive, floriferous colonies in consistently moist conditions.